Neville slams European Super League proposals and calls for points deduction

Neville is among the many not impressed by the proposals and, during commentary duty for Manchester United's hosting of Burnley at Old Trafford, hit out at those reportedly involved - including his former side.

“I’m not against the modernisation of football competitions. We have the Premier League, we have the Champions League, I don’t think anyone can deny," he told Sky Sports.

"But I think to bring forward proposals in the midst of Covid, in the midst of the economic crisis, is an absolute scandal.

"United, and the rest of the ‘Big Six’ clubs that have signed up to it, against the rest of the Premier League, should be ashamed of themselves.

“The European Super League - are Arsenal in that? They’ve just drawn with Fulham, Manchester United are drawing with Burnley.

“I can’t concentrate on the game, me, they should deduct all six teams that have signed up to it. Deduct points from them all, to do it in a season is a joke."

UEFA are due to announce their proposals for an expansion of the Champions League to 46 teams on Monday, which would come into effect from 2024.

Yo, what's going on, I don't even know anymore. The super league had us fearing the worst but seem like it might lead to some good thing after all.

Since ESL is finished, we won guys, give us the title!

I want kroenke out now. It looks like this will be the best opportunity to get him out. This is getting interesting

repercussions anyone? Would love to see all the top execs and assholes who had all these secret meetings - so secret that most of the personnel at the club didn't know about it - get fired.. It would be interesting if some English clubs go the German club model or something to curb this obvious shithousery

@Greatone Well, I expect little punishement since they gave up early but for sure, it would be nice if they some kind of negative for trying to pull this stunt. We already know Ed Woodward was sacrificed in the middle of all that so there some positive even though he ended up feeling more like a victim in the whole thing...

Everyone used to call Chelsea plastic fans, well only fans in London that came out strongly and in big numbers against ESL. Proud of the boys.

Spanish and italian clubs desperately trying to erase their poorly managed debts. Well good luck to them, but this won't happen at expense of football and fans who helped to create this game.

Greedy owners and executives have forgotten who pays their bills. This isn't some corporation, but football club with hundred years of history started by working men of Europe.

We need 50+1 rule! Time to take back control of our clubs like Bundesliga does. These owners made their money back, but they just want more and more!

Some people rightly mentioned, ticket prices are ridiculous. Last time, i was at the match, i had to dish out 600 pounds to see Liverpool vs Chelsea. They were great sits, but I looked around me and notice that corporate wankers who don't create atmosphere in the stadium were sitting around like it was a chess match. They don't know any chants, they don't care much about history nor do they care about the club as much as work men do. I bet these were the same people who thought ESL was a good idea.

milanlamiavita

I think you are frustrated with Italian league and their financial structure. English football league doesn't have these issues such as trickling down of money down to smaller clubs, our pyramid is functioning well across all competitions. As far as other leagues in Europe, well what can I say? UEFA should do more about how players are transfered because that is the biggest issue, if they keep big players , fans will follow them, popularity will grow and money will pour. Ajax could have been top club if they had kept their players but they want to be Barcelona's player feeding B team.

For example, club like Leicester used to play even in League 1 and mostly in Championship but now they are challenging for EPL titles. You will see your Forrest club in FA or League Cup.

Smaller clubs now bargain strongly for their players, and big clubs don't bully them during transfer window. Everything is getting back normality, so I think your issue is that our league offers best football product to broadcasters while Seria A has fallen behind. I hope it changes soon for you too. Cheers.

@Marcus2011: In France the tax rates are higher compared to the other big leagues. If they splash big money on players they have to pay large amounts of taxes for it. And basically only PSG can afford to do that. Which in my opinion is a bit unfair, because not only does it make it harder for ligue 1 to attract the biggest names, but also makes it less competitive against other leagues. And with PSGs financial muscles it makes the league itself lack competitiveness.

As far as that goes UEFA can’t do much for French league if the french government decides to increase the tax rates.

But you are also right... it drains the league of its talent and its (mainly international) fans.

@Pele

Look you already know the answer, if French government cared about French football like British government does about English football then your league wouldn't have high tax issues at least in football transfers. Football in UK attracts hundreds of thousand football fan tourists every year. Britain sees great benefit of EPL growth, therefore doesn't mind when investors come to buy clubs.

UEFA can create more obstacles in international transfers. Perhaps, limiting number of international players playing for domestic clubs unless they are academy home grown internationals. Putting transfer caps, so clubs will reinvest into local academies. All UEFA did was financial fair play that only widened the gap between rich and poor clubs, but they feel they did a good thing. Years have passed, and I still fail to see how it made football better. Rich clubs got richer and poor clubs are dying right now during covid.

FYI, Monaco had some amazing team full of talented players, they sold all of those young talents that could have by now probably won the Champions League. France always develops some top professionals, so issue lies with French government that doesn't create better environment that will prevent football talent drainage from French leagues.

No body wants English players but English clubs, so we are lucky there :)))

Everyone used to call Chelsea plastic fans, well only fans in London that came out strongly and in big numbers against ESL.

Good on Chelsea for that. Their fans organisation are really great from what I seen. And they did really well in this incident.

Also, I got big respect to Bayern and PSG saying no from the start. Didn't exactly expect that from them. XD

Honestly a little disappointed in the way this fizzled out.. UEFA and FIFA won't get the wake up call from this crappy little attempt at a breakaway. It wasn't just the ESL back-channellers that I was hoping would get punished.

The current "end" of this stupid idea is a relief, but there's no doubt that these greedy pigs will somehow try it again in the future. That's just how life is. God, I want to punch the Glazers so hard. Their smiles pisses me off.

There has been some good that has come out of all this.... The fans showing unity and stood up for their teams. Some ownership has made changes or apologized for their mistakes.

And it got a bunch of us to chat here in Footyroom! Win win!!